Authoress of Arendelle
by Shelly Lane
Summary: When a ship is battered by a terrible storm, a stranger is stranded in Arendelle until her passage can be arranged on another ship. Anna invites her to stay at the castle, but Elsa warns that this highly unusual visitor may be a spy. Things really take an unexpected turn when the trolls predict the early winter would make it unwise to travel until spring. Disney owns all.
1. Shipwrecked

**Shipwrecked**

As the ship was buffeted mercilessly by waves, one of the crew members went to break the news to the only passenger.

"Are we sinking?" she asked fearfully.

"I'm afraid so, ma'am," he answered, "but fortunately, there is a port nearby. We should be able to get to safety."

She nodded.

"We'll be able to continue our voyage to Farfalla, but it may take a few weeks to restock our supplies and arrange your passage on another ship."

"Very well." She managed to smile. "I'm sure Arendelle is a wonderful kingdom."

"Gather anything you may need, but try to pack sparingly. We're lucky to be escaping with our lives, but we won't have the chance to unload any cargo."

After she had packed a few essential items, she made sure she had plenty of ink and paper. She had intended to journey to Farfalla and write a story about the widowed king's recent marriage to Queen Królowa. It was what gave her the greatest pleasure in life: traveling to other kingdoms and hearing their legends or learning about the lives of the people there.

This delay in Arendelle was unexpected, but she was determined to make the best of it. While she was here, why not learn the stories of Arendelle as well?

Within half an hour, she had arrived onshore with the crew. She was a bit shaken, but grateful to be alive. Surely after she had recovered from her fear, this too would make a good story, a thrilling adventure for future generations. As if mocking them, the sea was calm without the slightest trace of the tempest that had damaged their ship beyond repair.

"Hi! I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs."

She turned to see who had spoken. Not at all startled to see a talking snowman, she immediately hugged him.

"It's nice to meet you, Olaf. I'm Lene, and I like good stories." She smiled as she noticed the permanent snow cloud that hovered over Olaf wherever he went. "I've never seen a snowman this early in autumn before!"

"Queen Elsa can make snow and ice and all things cold," Olaf explained, "but I prefer summer!"

"I do too," Lene replied. "Whenever I get too hot, it's always easy for me to cool down, but when I get too cold, I can never warm up, no matter how close I stand to the fireplace."

"But you like snowmen, don't you?"

"Of course, Olaf! I love snowmen, especially if they can talk."

"What brings you to Arendelle?"

"Shipwreck," she answered. "I was on my way to Farfalla, but there was a storm, and it was either come here or sink."

"Don't worry! I know what will cheer you up! Why don't you come to the wedding?! I'm sure Anna won't mind! Oh, there's nothing like true love to make everything better!"

Lene brushed back a strand of her hair. "Do you know the name of this port, Olaf?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Do you know a place I can stay?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Before she could respond, Lene heard another voice.

"Olaf, who is it?" Princess Anna approached the group.

"Your Highness." The captain of the ship bowed. "We were fortunate enough to find your port during the storm. We hope you'll forgive the intrusion. We won't be here long."

"I'll ask Elsa if you can stay in the castle!" Anna offered. "I've never met anyone from…where did you say you lived?"

"Autoare," Lene answered with a curtsy.

"What's it like there?"

"We have a lot of flat land and small towns," replied Lene. "I'm afraid there's nothing too exciting there. We don't have mountains or fjords or coastline like Arendelle, but that's the beauty of traveling. You get to see different lands and share a connection with people and places you've only read about, and then you get to write your own stories. I've been trying to learn the legends of other kingdoms."

"We have plenty!" Anna smiled. "You must have quite a few tales yourself since you've traveled so much!"

"Oh…um…well, I guess you could say that…"

"You and I are going to be great friends! I know it!"


	2. The Queen's Concerns

**The Queen's Concerns**

"Anna, could I talk to you for a moment?" Elsa asked.

"Of course!" Anna followed her sister through the corridors of the castle to a room where they could talk alone. "What did you want to say?"

"Inviting them to stay at the castle was very kind of you, and after what happened to our parents, I agree that we should help any shipwreck survivors, but I'm not sure if we can trust them."

"What? Why? The captain and crew of that ship have been carrying imported goods to Arendelle for years, and everyone already knows about your powers!"

"It's not them I'm worried about." Elsa paused, trying to think of the best way to explain. "Anna, don't you find it strange that someone would travel from kingdom to kingdom in order to learn stories and write them down? I think it's great that she has an interest in other cultures, but who reads the stories she writes? Arendelle's allies know about my powers, but our enemies could use the information to destroy our kingdom."

"You don't think she's a spy, do you?"

"I'm not sure. I'm not saying she is, but just in case, we should be careful. After all, Prince Hans seemed harmless enough when he first arrived here."

"What should we do?"

"Just keep treating her as a friend, but don't tell her anything about Arendelle that could be used against us."

Anna nodded. "Especially not about your powers."

"Right."

"I'll let Kristoff know."

Elsa found Lene sitting by the fireplace with a book in her hand.

"Hello, Lene."

There was no reply.

"Lene?"

She was slightly startled, but she regained her composure and curtsied. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. Sometimes when I read, I nearly lose consciousness of the rest of the world." Lene sighed dreamily. "It's so cozy to read by a fireplace, especially in a castle!"

"That must be a fantastic book."

"Olaf recommended it to me. It's by a man named H. C…" She frowned. "I forget his last name, but never mind that now. Your Majesty wished to speak with me."

Queen Elsa smiled. "I heard you had an interest in stories, and I was just curious to know if you'd written any lately."

"A few." Lene nearly chuckled. "It seems the only time I stop writing is when I find a good book to read."

"What type of stories do you write?"

"Any that come to mind, Your Majesty." After a pause, she asked, "If you wouldn't mind, could you share something about your experience as queen? I always enjoy hearing from royals. I could be wrong, but from what I can tell, being royalty isn't nearly as fun as it seems. There's always this burden of trying to decide what's best for the kingdom, and even though no one's perfect, everyone's always willing to criticize the slightest mistake. People who wish they had been born into royal families don't seem to have any idea how much work it can be."

"That is true," Queen Elsa agreed. "I'm fortunate enough to have advisors I can trust and good friends to help me."

"I've had the pleasure of meeting some of them."

"I would love to meet your friends as well."

"My friends are in different kingdoms," Lene answered. "I have a few in Autoare, where I live, but most live in other realms."

"What about brothers or sisters?"

"I don't have any."

The queen frowned. "Don't you get terribly lonely at times?"

"Reading helps me escape."


	3. Sven's Stories

**Sven's Stories**

Kristoff was already feeling nervous about his wedding the following day. He thought going outside to talk to Sven might ease his mind a little, but no sooner had he stepped through the castle doors than he found Lene sitting in the shade of a tree. Sven was standing beside her, eating a few carrots.

Lene gasped. "My goodness! And then what happened?"

Sven bellowed.

"You don't say?!" Lene smiled. "How fortunate for you!"

"What are you doing?" Kristoff demanded.

"Aksel Fisk Leonhard III was just telling me a little about himself," she continued to smile. "That's his real name, but he doesn't mind that you call him Sven. After all, most humans never understand animal dialects enough to know the real names of each creature, but animals have learned over the years that it's best just to go with it."

"What makes you think you can talk to reindeer?"

"The same way I can talk to you," Lene explained. "I've never been to Arendelle before, and your language is not the native language of Autoare."

Kristoff frowned. "Yet you speak our language flawlessly without the slightest trace of an accent."

"So it appears."

He crossed his arms. "What is it you want with Sven?"

"I only wanted to hear his exact words. No one else has." She hid a laugh. "By the way, he says it's amusing the way you change your voice whenever you're trying to guess what he's thinking, and you're usually pretty close, but there was this one time you were way off, and…" Lene sank to her knees in laughter. "I'm sorry, but the way Sven tells it…! It's hilarious!"

More confused than ever, Kristoff returned to the castle.

"Do any of you understand our visitor?" he asked his friends. "She claims she can understand reindeer and that Sven was talking to her!"

"Olaf says she wasn't surprised the first time she met him either," Elsa added. "Most people are startled by a talking snowman."

"Do you think she has some sort of powers?" Anna wondered rhetorically.

"I know a way to find out!" Kristoff stated. "We'll all find out! Then we can see just what it is she's up to! Will the carriage hold all of us?"

"It should," Elsa replied. "I'll have the livery grooms bring it at once."

When the carriage was ready, Anna informed Lene, "We're going to visit with some of Kristoff's friends, and we were hoping you'd come with us."

"Oh, you must mean the trolls!" Lene smiled warmly. "I'd be delighted to meet them!"

"What makes you think they're trolls?" Anna queried.

"Sven told me."

Although there wasn't room for him in the carriage, Sven walked beside the horses as the carriage driver took Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Lene toward the mountains.

"Am I crowding you?" Olaf asked Lene. "I know there isn't much room in the carriage, but I can try scooting over if you want."

"I'm fine, Olaf. Sitting beside you is just like giving you a warm hug." She wrapped her arm around him for several seconds before placing both hands in her lap.

"Are you cold? I know you said you don't do very well in cold weather, but I have a permanent flurry cloud. I guess I should have thought of that before I sat beside you."

"It's alright." She smiled. "Some people are worth freezing for."


	4. Return of the Wolves

**Return of the Wolves**

When the carriage had journeyed for a while, Lene asked, "Please, might we stop here?"

"Too dangerous," Kristoff answered. "Last time I was here, I was attacked by wolves."

"I know. Sven told me."

"And you still want to stop?"

"Oh, yes, please! It's very important."

Elsa frowned, bewildered that anyone would make such an unusual request, but she told the driver to halt the carriage. As soon as it had stopped, Lene eagerly descended.

"There are wolf tracks in the snow!" she announced joyfully. Following the trail, she began coaxing, "Please don't be afraid. I'm not here to harm you. None of us are."

"She's going to get herself killed," Kristoff remarked.

"I want to understand," Lene continued as she walked even farther from the carriage. "If you don't help me understand, they will say you are dangerous, and they'll hunt you. Is that what you want, hunters shooting you and taking the animals you need for food?"

There was a bark in the distance.

"Come on then!" She tapped her shoulders and opened her arms. "Come on! Don't be shy! I accept hugs from whoever offers!"

Before anyone had time to react, a gray form darted out from the shadows and tripped Lene at the ankles, pinning her to the ground with heavy paws.

"That wasn't funny, Dania!" she complained, laughing as the wolf stepped back to allow her to stand. "Do you want to tell me what happened? I know that unless unhealthy or provoked, it isn't lupine nature to attack a human, and I understand there was a slight confrontation that seemed a bit savage."

The wolf barked, whining slightly as it turned its ears and tilted its head to the side.

"That's it?" Lene sank to her knees and hugged the wolf. "You poor things! All this fuss over miscommunication! Well, don't you worry! I'll have it sorted out in no time at all!" Glancing over her shoulder, she called, "Kristoff, could you come here a moment, please? I believe you and Dania need to talk."

Kristoff's eyes widened in disbelief. "There is no way I'm getting out of the carriage."

"Alright. Then she'll come to you." She approached the carriage, followed by the wolf. "Dania apologizes that the pack attacked you. It was the middle of summer, and there was suddenly snow and ice everywhere. The wolves are used to the seasons gradually becoming colder or warmer, so this sudden change frightened them. They remembered an ancient legend, a story that they had overheard humans mention about a man with a sleigh and magical reindeer, and this man sometimes brought snow, and when they noticed Sven, they thought you were the one who had changed the weather so drastically. When you got too close to their den, they decide it was high time to confront you about it, but you made Sven run, and an object that moves rapidly makes them want to chase it, just as dogs will chase a moving carriage but ignore someone who calmly walks by."

"And I suppose the wolf told you all that?"

"This isn't my first time talking to wolves, you know." Lene crossed her arms. "Do you accept Dania's apology or not?"

"As long as they don't eat Sven," Kristoff replied.

The wolf yipped.

"Dania says that's fair enough. To make amends for their error, they agree not to hurt him." Lene turned to Ana. "And you, Princess? Do you accept the apology?"

"Oh, of course!" Anna descended from the carriage. "Dania seems harmless enough. I'm sure it was all just a big misunderstanding." She stroked the wolf's ears.

"You speak Wolf?" Elsa asked incredulously.

"'Lupine,' Your Majesty," Lene replied with a brief curtsy. "Normally it isn't safe to approach wolves like this. They're shy creatures, but if you get too close, they will bite. However, I've had the chance to experience a bit of Lupine culture, so I suppose I'm an exception to the rule. I still have to use caution, though. Just like people, animals can change moods without warning, and I'd have quite a bit of trouble if an entire pack went from friendly to hostile before I had time to react, but like I said, wolves usually don't want trouble unless they're unhealthy or they feel a human has started the trouble first."


	5. Meeting the Trolls

**Meeting the Trolls**

"Born with the powers or cursed?" Granpabbie asked as Lene seated herself on a nearby stump.

"Are those the only two options?" she responded. "When I was a child, I enjoyed playing outside, and one day, I noticed an old woman on the edge of my parents' property. She seemed tired, and it was a hot day, and for some reason, I felt like I was supposed to offer her some water, so although I felt very foolish approaching a complete stranger since I was always shy and never asked about what didn't seem to be any of my business, I asked the old woman if she was thirsty and told her I could get her some water. She said that would be wonderful, so I brought her the water, and she seemed grateful."

Granpabbie nodded. "Please continue."

"She asked where the nearest town was so she could buy some bread, and I told her my parents could give her a ride to town since it was a quick journey by horse, but if she walked, she might lose her way or not be able to reach town before dark. I also told her that if she was hungry, we had bread. Of course I wouldn't have invited a stranger into my home if my parents hadn't been there, but as both of them were home instead of at the market that day, I thought it was safe."

"Was it?"

"As soon as I offered her the bread, she cast aside her cloak. She wasn't an old woman at all; she was young and beautiful. She told me that although I was a mere child, I had been kinder to her than any of the other people she had met that day, and as a reward, she offered to let me kiss her magic stone, which she claimed would give me eloquence since she had sensed that I was shy and had trouble knowing what to say to people."

"And you kissed this magic stone?"

"As soon as I did, I kissed my hands," Lene explained. "I've always been better at writing than I am at speaking, and it was always my dream to write something that someone else would enjoy, something that several people would be able to read. As writing was always one of my favorite hobbies, I thought it would be wonderful if I could use it to make stories that would bring joy to others; that way it would bring double happiness: pleasure to myself when my work was being written, and pleasure to others when it was read."

Granpabbie nodded.

"After I kissed my hands, the woman wanted to know why I had done so, and when I explained that I hoped any eloquence on my lips would flow into my hands and make me a better writer, she asked why I was so interested in writing, and I told her that it was because I loved books so much. I read to learn about other worlds, to experience a glimpse of what I hope to see in real life someday."

"Is that why you travel to other kingdoms to learn their stories?" Elsa asked.

"Partly," answered Lene. "The other reason is that it's very entertaining to see what other people's imaginations and creativity can invent, but I'm not a spy, if that's what you feared. I know so many stories from so many different realms that I could have started over a dozen wars by now if I wished, but I don't want to make trouble for anyone. I just wish we could all live in peace and share stories and cultural innovations, such as recipes, clothing styles, art, et cetera."

"A commendable dream," Granpabbie agreed, "but I sense there is more to your explanation."

She nodded. "When the woman heard I loved to read because I wanted to understand and experience other worlds, she smiled and said, 'And so you shall, child! Place both hands on the stone and kiss it again! There's enough magic for both your hands and your lips!'"

"In doing so, you gained the ability to understand and speak fluently any language you encountered without having to learn it first," the troll stated, "including animal languages. Am I correct?"

"You are," Lene replied. "Since I'm used to talking to all nationalities of people and all species of animals, I'm not really surprised when I notice things like rock trolls or talking snowmen. I'm just used to speaking to everyone, I suppose."

"How did you come to be in Arendelle?"

"I was shipwrecked. I'm here for a short time until…"

"Winter will come early this year," Granpabbie interrupted. "It would be unwise to travel before spring."

Lene silently nodded.

"She doesn't like cold weather," Olaf explained. "She says when she gets too hot, it's easy for her to cool down, but when she gets too cold, she can never warm up, no matter how close she stands to the fireplace."

"How's she going to spend the winter here?" Anna wondered aloud. "Even without Elsa's powers, winters in Arendelle are completely frigid!"

"More so than in Autorare," Lene remarked, "or so I've heard."

"Too bad she can't just turn into a snowman," joked Kristoff.

"That would be impossible." Granpabbie smiled. "She could, however, become a snowwoman." When no one responded, he continued, "Elsa's powers should not be used to prevent the snowfall that occurs naturally in the winter, for there could be terrible consequences for disrupting the natural cycle of the seasons for an extended period of time. However, I do know enough magic that with Elsa's help, we could make our honored visitor a snowwoman between the time the last leaf falls and the time the first flower blooms. It might make her a little more comfortable here, and she would be able to enjoy the beauty of winter."

"What's the catch?" Lene asked.

"Another being made of snow must agree to trade. For every day you are made of snow, this other person must be human. It is the only way for the magic to work."

"Meaning I find a snowman or a snowwoman, and in exchange for me being made of snow this winter, they have to be made of flesh, bones, and muscles next summer?"

"I'll do it!" Olaf volunteered eagerly. "I'll finally be able to get tan in the summer, and I'll be able to enjoy the sun without melting or having my flurry cloud get too much snow on flowers and freeze them!"

"Speaking of flurry clouds, I'll get you one for when you come into the castle, Lene," Elsa offered. "That way you won't have to stay outside all winter."

"Do you want to build other snowmen?" Anna asked. "Well, not just men, but also snowwomen and snowchildren? Olaf and Lene might get lonely. Maybe this winter we can build an entire village for the snowpeople!"

"Then it's settled." Granpabbie rested his hands a few inches over Lene's. "Your own powers are through your hands, so this is the best place for the magic to go. You shall remain human until the last leaf of autumn has fallen; then you shall wake up the following morning as a snowwoman, but on the day the first blooms of spring emerge, you shall once again take human form, as will Olaf, and he shall remain human for as many days as you spent made of snow, after which he too shall be restored to his true form. If you will turn your palms upwards, Elsa will cause a few flurries over your hands to complete the magic."

Lene did as she was bidden, watching as snowflakes fell lightly over her hands for a few seconds. "Thank you both. I'm sure this will help me a great deal this winter." After a pause, she added, "At any rate, this is going to make an interesting story…if anyone even believes me!"


	6. An Act of True Love

**An Act of True Love**

As he stood at the front of the church, Kristoff was more nervous than he had ever been before in his life. He could barely breathe as Anna glided down the aisle, a stunning image of grace and beauty.

Lene had never seen a more unusual wedding in her life. In addition to flower petals, Elsa had thrown a few snowflakes as she walked before her sister. No other wedding that Lene had attended had a reindeer as a best man.

She smiled at Olaf, the groomsman who had escorted her down the aisle. Although she had assisted with several weddings, it was Lene's first time as a bridesmaid. The trolls performed the marriage ceremony.

Olaf sang in honor of the couple's special day. His song, which was about love thawing a frozen heart like summer, was unintentionally hilarious rather than poetically beautiful, but everyone knew he had meant well.

After the wedding, Elsa froze part of the ground for the reception so the guests could ice skate. Kristoff skated with one arm around Anna's waist, using the other to hold her hand. He smiled tenderly as she gazed up at him in love, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Isn't that sweet?!" Olaf exclaimed happily. "They're wrapped up in each other's warm hug!"

"It's very romantic," Lene agreed.

"Why aren't you skating?"

"I don't know how."

"I can teach you!" Olaf held out his hand. "Trust me! I won't let you fall."

Lene took his hand and smiled. "I always have wanted to learn how to ice skate."

She slipped several times, but Olaf managed to keep her upright. She only fell once, thankfully noticed by Elsa in time to land on a soft patch of snow.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Lene looked up gratefully.

"You're welcome."

Olaf helped Lene to her feet. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she assured him. "I'll get the hang of ice skating one of these days!"

After the reception, the guests entered the castle to partake of the wedding feast of roast, soup, sandwiches, and ice-cream. In addition to toasting to the newlyweds, many guests also toasted in the queen's honor.

"Here's to all my friends!" Olaf began when it was his turn. "Here's to Elsa. Like all of you said, I hope she's queen for a really long time and that she never has to deal with war or drought or an angry mob revolting against her…"

Elsa looked slightly uneasy at the mention of all these potential problems, but she maintained her polite smile.

"And here's to Anna and Kristoff," he continued. "I hope they're happy together forever in the same true love they feel today."

The happy couple smiled at each other.

"And here's to Sven. I hope he's happy too."

Sven made no reply, but he seemed the picture of contentment as he munches his carrots.

"And here's to Lene. I love her stories so much that I hope I learn how to read someday so I can read what she's written."

Lene was surprised. She hadn't been expecting anyone to toast in her honor.

She smiled. "I'd be happy to teach you to read, Olaf, not only for the sake of my works, but so you can experience any other books you choose."


	7. The Snow Village

**The Snow Village**

For once, Lene didn't mind the chill of the winter wind. She was starting to get used to her reflection in the mirror, even though for the first few weeks, she had still been unable to believe she was really made of snow. At least since snowpeople were typically round, it didn't matter anymore whether or not she was slightly overweight, and having braids made of frost and ice crystals saved time since she didn't have to brush her hair. Adjusting to life with branches for arms hadn't been nearly as difficult as she had imagined, and no matter how many times she accidentally bumped into something, she was never bruised. She quickly concluded that she was going to enjoy her time as a snowwoman.

The snow village that Elsa and Anna had built was a success. The snowpeople were friendly, often visiting the castle, and the snowchildren frequently held up their arms for hugs. To surprise Olaf, the royal sisters had built snowpeople to be his relatives, much to his delight.

"I'm glad you won't be alone anymore, Olaf," Lene told him. "How nice that you actually have a family now!"

"And you're part of my family too, right?" Olaf asked.

She hugged him. "Of course!"

"Except you're leaving when spring comes." After a pause, he added, "What's it like to travel?"

"It's strange. There are very few things more inconvenient than travel, yet there are even fewer things that give you as much of a thrill." An idea crossed her mind. "Why don't you come with me? It's not like you're leaving forever. After a few weeks, you'll be back with your friends in Arendelle, and you'll have your own stories to tell them, and you'll have beautiful memories that will last a lifetime!"

"It sounds wonderful!" He paused. "But I have to be human this summer. It's the only way you could be a snowwoman for the winter so you wouldn't feel so cold. I don't know anything about being a human, and I don't want you to feel embarrassed if I make a mistake."

"All humans make mistakes," Lene replied.

"And you're sure you want me to come with you?"

"Traveling is more fun with a friend! I'd love for you to travel with me this summer!"

"Oh, this is going to be so much fun! I'm a happy snowman!"

Lene smiled as they walked through the snow village. "With all these relatives, I'm surprised Queen Elsa and Princess Anna didn't make a snowwoman to be your wife." She shrugged. "They probably thought it would be better if you decided for yourself who your true love would be, if that's what you wanted. Of course, there's no need to rush into such things. I even wear a ring so men will think I'm already married."

"But what if you meet the right one?" Olaf asked.

"Then I'll tell him I just wore the ring to discourage everyone who wasn't right for me so I could wait for him." She changed the subject. "Would you like to go sledding?"

"I'd love to!"

Lene had no doubt this would be an interesting summer, but for now, she was enjoying winter. It was strange how things worked out. When she had first set out for Farfalla, she had never dreamed an unexpected delay in Arendelle would have led to an adventure like this, and she could only wonder what would be next.


	8. The Changes of Spring

**The Changes of Spring**

Lene felt a slight chill when she woke up one morning. That could only mean one thing: The first flower of spring had bloomed, thus ending her time as a snowwoman.

She was confused by the figure she saw in the mirror. Flaxen braids hung below her waist, and although the eyes were still the same color as the sea, they no longer required the use of spectacles to observe the world around them. The slender figure had perfect fingernails, and her lips were as the most beautiful roses of summer. Furthermore, the dress she wore was more elegant than any she had ever owned. Were those real gems that graced her neck and wrist?

"Who are you?" Lene wondered aloud, nearly surprised to see the reflection's mouth moving as she spoke. "I know I didn't look like this last autumn."

She heard someone knock at the door.

"Lene," Anna began, "are you coming down to breakfast? Olaf really wants to know what you think of him in human form."

"This isn't me," Lene answered, opening the door. "I've never looked like this before."

Anna hugged her. "Maybe it's a gift! It's hard to tell with magic."

Lene smiled. "Perhaps so. However it happened, I'm not complaining."

Nothing could have prepared her for how Olaf looked. Lene recognized the same dark eyes and kind smile, and the dark hair hadn't surprised her, but she hadn't been expecting the broad shoulders or the slightly deeper voice.

"I decided to try wearing black since I've always been in white because I'm made of snow," Olaf explained.

"The gold trim is a nice touch," Lene complimented. "You make a nice human, Olaf."

He smiled. "I'm glad. At first, I was afraid you'd think I looked too silly, and you wouldn't want to travel with me."

"You look regal! I would have been delighted to have you accompany me, no matter how you looked, but you're very handsome!" She couldn't resist asking, "Do you still like warm hugs?"

He answered her question by pulling her into a close embrace, stroking her hair as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Can I ask you a favor, Lene?"

"Of course, Olaf."

"Would you waltz with me later? I know I'm supposed to kiss your hand when I ask you to dance, but other than that, I don't really know much about dancing with anyone."

"I'd be delighted!"

"What an excellent idea!" Elsa remarked. "Before you two start traveling to other kingdoms, we can have a grand ball." She smiled at Olaf. "You'll get to escort Lene by the arm...if she has no objections, that is."

"None whatsoever," Lene replied, unable to shake the feeling that despite all her previous adventures, this might be her greatest yet.


End file.
